Hearts hurting after big bang goes wrong

THE verdict is pretty unanimous, then. "Hard to take" about sums it up in three concise, but horribly accurate words. Craig Gordon said it, Graham Rix said it, and even Gordon Strachan relayed a concession that Celtic were lucky to escape Tynecastle in a victorious state yesterday.

It's always good to see in the New Year with a bang, and this explosive encounter was the ideal tonic for those struggling to rouse themselves as a consequence of their excesses the night before. Unfortunately for anyone with leanings towards the home side, the head is likely still to be thumping with undiluted rage.

Hearts were left not only experiencing sorrow at having capitulated from their two-goal ascendancy against their sternest challengers for the championship, they were also harbouring strong feelings of resent at certain refereeing decisions which were about as consistent as Scotland's winter weather.

Behind the rancorous feelings, the unshakeable notion that the minimum reward of even a point had been denied them by referee Iain Brines' instant 75th-minute dismissal of Takis Fyssas.

The Greek's perceived crime was a professional foul on Shaun Maloney, a tackle almost identical to one which Celtic's Bobo Balde had committed on Deividas Cesnauskis in the first half and for which he received only a yellow card.

The reduction of Hearts to ten men at a time when they held a 2-1 lead placed the ascendancy firmly with Celtic, who didn't, of course, require a second asking to capitalise. Fyssas may well have deserved to walk, offering no complaint despite a posse of Hearts players surrounding the referee with claims that no contact had been made with Maloney. However the crux of the matter remains that what was worthy of a red card for Fyssas had only brought a yellow for Balde on 36 minutes, when Cesnauskis had taken Calum Elliot's classy flick on the run and was brutally taken down by the imposing Guinean.

Rix was inclined to agree, and doubtless would have imparted that very impression to the SPL's delegate in the main stand, whom he confronted after the match. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander," said the Hearts head coach.

After the mauling of Cesnauskis, Balde proceeded to commit a sequence of fouls on anyone who dared enter his territory and subsequently could easily have been issued with a second yellow card for persistent infringements.

McManus could also consider himself fortunate to still be on the field to angle Celtic's winning goal beyond Craig Gordon in stoppage time after willfully ignoring FIFA guidelines to players by running to hug visiting supporters in the Roseburn Stand upon heading the equaliser.

That said, in a game which seemed to produce controversial incidents by the minute, Hearts' Robbie Neilson appeared to use up all of his luck for 2006 when his petulant but nevertheless aggressive kick at Stilian Petrov from a grounded position in first-half stoppage time went unnoticed by both Brines and the stand-side assistant, Tom Murphy.

When asked if he felt a sense of injustice over the 3-2 scoreline, Gordon's rueful snigger told the story more accurately than any of his words could. "Of course there is. When something like that [Fyssas' red card] happens it's very hard to take. The boys are asking what the difference is between that and Bobo Balde's challenge."

They will, like the Tynecastle support, continue to wonder, the costliness of the inconsistency of decision unlikely to be known until April or May when the SPL title is finally decided. There is no escaping Celtic's position as favourites for that honour now, with a seven-point lead in first place.

It had all appeared so different just eight minutes in, which is where the bulk of Hearts' frustration will arrive from. With an opener bundled over the line by a combination of Edgaras Jankauskas and Celtic's Ross Wallace, and a powerful Steven Pressley header, Hearts had secured themselves a 2-0 lead, with Celtic rocked to their very foundations and looking like they'd happily climb back on to the team coach and leave it at that were the referee to allow it.

With the exception of rare ventures into the Hearts defensive third of the pitch, Celtic were being dictated to by their hosts whose power play, as Strachan called it afterwards, was as authoritative as it was entertaining.

Rix appeared to have matched up his central midfield area to Celtic's with pinpoint accuracy. As Stilian Petrov broke clear of the more defensive-minded Neil Lennon when attempting to initiate an attack for his side, he was accompanied by the unspectacular but pivotally essential Julien Brellier, mindful of the danger offered by the Bulgarian.

Similarly, Paul Hartley's probing at the Celtic defence and piercing runs into spaces between full-backs and centre-backs was proving overly problematic for Neil Lennon, who is normally found sweeping up effortlessly for Strachan between midfield and defence.

Had Rudi Skacel's one-two with Elliot, which was returned impishly to the Czech by the heel of the teenager, resulted in a third goal for Hearts then the roof may very well have caved in. Not just on Celtic, but quite literally. Tynecastle at that point was bedlam and it was difficult to remember a more enthralling New Year's Day.

Half-time, though, seemed to bring out a more cautious and reserved side to this Hearts team, whilst Celtic soon had the impetus of Stephen Pearson in midfield as a replacement for the injured Stilian Petrov. His intervention was to prove crucial on 55 minutes as he sprayed a pass out to Maloney on Celtic's left and forced himself into the six yard box to convert the diminutive striker's cross.

With Fyssas' dismissal, Hearts were forced to revert to a 4-4-1 formation, bringing on Lee Wallace for Jankauskas. Celtic smelled blood and poured almost at will towards Gordon's goal, forcing the Scotland goalkeeper to save expertly from Nakamura and watch from the ground as Pearson converted before seeing the flag which had ruled him offside from the Japanese midfielder's shot.

The warning wasn't heeded. Skacel fouled Paul Telfer near the touchline on the Hearts left and Nakamura's set-pice was headed home by McManus. The failure by referee Brines to book the defender for his celebrations became all the more bizarre when it was revealed that Maloney had been cautioned amongst the ensuing mayhem for going to greet supporters.

McManus' winner owed a little to good fortune as another disputed free-kick by Nakamura ricocheted off the defender's midriff before being struck low into the corner, however by that stage the majority of breaks were falling to Celtic. "We looked a bit nervous in the first 20 minutes and they took our breath away," said Strachan.

"I believed if we scored a goal it would worry Hearts on the psychological side. It might have been today that we were the lucky team, in terms of decisions. We used that bit of luck and turned it to our advantage. Pearson and Aiden McGeady came on and used the opportunity well."

Rix entered the media room bearing a shattered expression at the end, and few could blame him. "I think it was a big decision to send Fyssas off.

"I've seen slow-mo, I'm not sure there was any contact, I'm not sure he was going to score and I think the ball was going out for a goal kick.

"It's hard for referees to make split decisions but there was a similar situation in the first half with Balde, which was more central, and he got a yellow. I've spoken to the SPL delegate but I don't get paid enough to get into trouble and have to pay a fine. I thought the sending off was harsh. To play as we did and get nothing out the game was hard to take."

There's that saying again. It may be a considerable time before the wounds from this defeat can heal.

Taken from the Scotsman